Baptism and Confirmation
We celebrate the baptism of children with great joy at St Edmund's, for by this sacrament of water and the Holy Spirit, a child of God is named and welcomed into the family of God´s Church. Parents come to the service to give thanks for their child and to provide a spiritual home for him or her, a community in which to grow and explore faith and the spiritual adventure of being a created human being. Baptism marks the start of this journey, a turning away from the paralysis of self-centredness to the life, light and wholeness found in Jesus Christ.
David F. Wells put it like this:
This is what baptism is: God places a song in your heart. Your godparents' role is to learn that song so well that they can sing it back to you when you forget how it goes. And this is the song: heaven is open to you; God´s spirit is with you; you are everything to God. This is the song that makes your heart sing. And what does the song mean? I´ll tell you. You are the song in God´s heart, and God will never forget that song. (The Christian Century, 2000)
When do Baptisms take place?
Baptisms take place at the main service on Sunday morning at 11.00am.
How many Godparents should the child have?
The minimum of godparents the child may have is three, by custom normally two of the child´s gender and one of the opposite gender. The godparents must be baptised and, usually, confirmed. When a godparent is unable to attend a baptism, a proxy is welcome to stand in for him or her at the service. We hope that you will also invite members of your family and your friends to share in the celebration.
How much does a Baptism cost?
There are no fees for a baptism service, but, being a self-supporting church we are extremely grateful if you are able to make a thanksgiving offering for the baptism.
How do we apply to have our child baptised?
In the first instance please contact the Chaplain by email or phone. We can then arrange a time to meet and discuss the baptism in more detail.
Link to Church of England webpage on Baptism
Baptism of Adults
The celebration of the baptism of an adult normally takes place during a service of Confirmation and candidates similarly undertake a course of preparation. If you are considering being baptised please contact the Chaplain (Email: oslochaplain@osloanglicans.no or Tel: 22 69 22 14) so that a conversation may be arranged for you both to discuss what is one of the most important decisions a person can make.
Confirmation
St Edmund's provides an annual opportunity for baptised members of the congregation to renew their baptismal promises and to be confirmed in their Christian faith by the bishop or a bishop who comes to celebrate this wonderful rite of Christian commitment and refreshment on his behalf. In order to prepare for Confirmation, candidates undertake a course of learning and exploration. If you would like to know more about Confirmation in the Church of England please contact the Chaplain.